I am looking to "upgrade" my home component system, and was interested in recommendations. I currently own some very old 70s/80s vintage components (Ohm H speakers, JVC JA-S77 Integrated Amp, Onkyo Cassette Deck, Hitachi FT4400 Tuner, Sony CDP-70 CD-Player). I was never happy with the Ohm speakers ... and the Integrated Amp and Cassette Deck are shot.
My listening patterns and tastes: wide variety of music ... little bit of jazz, little bit of show music, but I would say 80-90% classic rock, current rock, and current day stuff like Creed, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Counting Crows, Matchbox 20, Third Eye Blind, etc (no rap). I live in an 800 sq. ft. apartment.
I don't consider myself to be an advanced audiophile, but I do consider myself to be above the average listener is quality expectations (somewhere in the middle). I like some enhanced clarity and separation, and also like some bass separation.
Here's my dilemma. Without a working amp, the rest of my system is unusable. I think the future seems to be Home Theater, so I'd like to pursue that. It would seem logical that I should think along the lines of replacing the amp with a Home Theater Receiver first. That way, I would then have a usable system with speakers and CD player. However, I eventually want to replace the Ohm speakers with new floorstanding ones ... I never felt that they had adequate bass (in those days, Infinity would have been the way to go, but it's a long story as to why I chose Ohms).
I know enough (I think) to know that one should purchase a receiver or amp that adequately drives ones speakers. Yet ... I'd really prefer to not have the expense of a new receiver and speakers all at once ... especially since I have "usable" speakers. So what should I do? Just pick a suitable receiver that I hope will drive whatever speakers I eventually decide on, or just resign myself to having to purchase them all up-front?
The next question is what to consider in terms of components. I know this is a matter of opinions/tastes, but it would appear that in terms of home theater receivers, I should consider Yamaha, NAD, or Denon (figure on price point $500-$1000). I have heard pretty consistently that Yamaha has a crispness at higher volumes that Denon doesn't have. Is this true?
In terms of speakers, do I have to have 4/5 speakers if I am using a Home Theater Receiver, or can I start with 2? What speakers are good nowadays that have good bass separation and emphasis (figure on price point $1000-$1500 total for either 2 or 4 speakers). And can I have two floorstanding and then the remainder a set of bookshelfs and a sub?
Some general thoughts on your questions... You can always add speakers later if you want to get the reveiver first. Spend a little time thinking about which speakers you might want to add (two or three options)and do a little research to see how they match up with your receiver.
Then get the receiver and when you're ready, you can start with 2 speakers, add a center later, and finally, add the rears and sub if you want it. That's what I did over about a year and a half. You don't need a master plan, just a pretty good idea of where you want to go. This approach doesn't beak the bank, and allows you to change your mind without throwing away an entire system.
Since you primarily listen to music, take great care in selecting the possibilities for your two front speakers. Audition them in a shop! Also, a lot of AV receivers aren't great with stereo music, so I would recommend auditioning it with some of your favorite music. Check the manufacturer web sites for dealers in your area. A good dealer will take the time to help you build your system whether you spend $1000 with them or $10,000. Chain stores suck, staff doesn't know what they are talking about, and they don't really care if what they sell you is right for you. Good luck and have fun with your search.